Apparatus for feeding and guiding cloth



R. M. HUNTER.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND GUIDING CLOTH. APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, I915.-

Patented May 11, 1920.

; INVENTOR wrrw ' inafter and more UNITED STATES PATENT orrrcn.

R DOLPH M. HUNTER, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR To 11. w. BUTTERWORTH & sons COMPANY, A conronerIo v or PENNSYLVANIA.

APfABtA'lUS FOR FEEDING AND GU IDIN CLOTH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May'5, 191 5; Serial No.,25,894.

1 b all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia,-

and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Feeding and Guiding Cloth, of which the following is a specification;

The object of my invention is to provide a suitable means for feeding cloth to tentering and other textile machines, more especially of the character of what is known in the art as a feeder and guider. In machines of this class, the cloth is maintained taut transversely of its length and guided as it passes between the rolls.

My invention consists of means for controlling the feeding of the cloth when operated by a liquid actuated motor device, said motor device in turn rendered active by compressed air or gas admitted to and exhausted from the motor under the control of a valve, itself controlled by the fabric which is being guided through the machine, all of which is fully set out hereparticularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention also comprehends details of construction which, together with the features above s ecified, willbebetter understood by re erence to the drawings, [in

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved feeder and guider with a portion in section; Fig. 2 is a front elevation; and

Fig. 3 is asectional view of'the valve de-' vices of the motor taken on line w-zv of rdi flaril there are one or more pairs of guide rolls for feeding and guidlng the selvages of the woven fabric to the cloth clamps of the tentering machine, but it .will sufiiceto describe a single one of the This frame 2 is provided'with a guide plate 3 over which the cloth is guided, said plate Patented May 11 1920.

having an opening through which the adjustable roll 4 operates. 5 is a rollv arranged above the opening in the plate and is suit ably journaled upon the frame 2. The roll 4 is journaled in a pivoted frame '6, hinged to 'the'frame 2 at 7 and having an operat ing arm 8. This frame 6 is-in general structure a bell-crank lever. The free end of the arm SeXtends downward and rests upon the center disk 13 of the diaphragm. 11, said diaphragm being clamped at 12 in the open top of the motor body 9; Theweight of the roll 4 and frame 6 presses the arm downward and the thrust upon the diaphragm is transferred to the stop 14' in the motor below the disk 13 of the diaphragm. The body 9 forms a reservoir for a fluid, preferably oil, and this 'fluid acts to raise the diaphragm at its center to operate the bell-crank lever frame 6* and the roll 4. This' body part 9 is adjustably clamped at 1i to the main frame 2 so that it maybe adjusted vertically to accurately position the roll t with respect to the roll 5. One end of the body 9 is provided with a chamber 17 rising to a level above the diaphragm, and this chamber may be provided with a sealed inlet 16 through which the oil maybe introduced. When the oil reservoir is properly filled, the level of the oil will extend nearlv to the top of the chamber 17 The body is further provided with a lateral arm 18- having a zontal hole or conduit 24 opening into "the oil. The control valve device 19 has at its upper partia neck 21 which .fits tightly into thehole on-the end of the arm 18 and the valve device is clamped in position by the nut 22. The neck portion and upper art of the valve device are provided wit a port 23 which communicates with the port orconduit. 24 of the arm 18. Within the body of the valve device 19 is a valve piece 20 which is pivoted to rock. The upper end of this valve piece .snu'glyfits the curved wall 19 of the valve casing, and is provided with an air su 1y port 20 and an exhaust channel 20. valve is made hollow as at 20 and is in co munication with the compressed air supply pipe 25. The valve piece is 'journaledhe interior of the rocking- .vertical aperture in its end and. a hori- 1 '90 upper part of the air chamber 17 above the in the casing in any has an axial extenslon 27 which is secured to a bell-crank arm having a counterweight 31 which normally causes the valve piece to rock into position in which the ports 20 and 23 come into alinement to admit compressed air through the port 24 into the air chamber 17, and thereby apply pressure upon the top of the oil to cause the same to exert a pressure against the under I side of the diaphragm 11 and thereby lift the'roll 4 toward the roll 5 for gripping similarly a lowering of the roll 4, this position being indicated in Fig. 1. The oscillation of the valve piece 20 to perform this function is accomplished by the pivoted feeler finger 28 which is pivoted at 29 to the frame 2, and moreover has its upper end extending through the guide plate 3 to be acted upon by the selvage of the fabric passing between the rolls land 5, and having its lower end arranged to act upon the arm 30 attached to the axial extension 27 of the valve piece.

Ordinarily the rolls 4 and 5 are set at a slight angle to, the line of travel of the fabric so that when the fabric is pinched between the rolls, while being drawn between them, the tendency will be to stretch the fabric transversely. This action takes place normally by the action of the rolls 4 and 5 under the influence of the compressed air. Whenever the selvage of the fabric strikes the feeler finger 28, it oscillates the latter and throws the valve piece 20 into the exhaustingposition 5*ig.1"3). The air pressure then being cutg ifofi' to the motor device and the pressurefl'therein rel eved, the roll at drops sufficiently to relieve the bite upon the fabric which tends to contract laterally. These actions take I place automatically so that the width of the fabric remains approximately the same.

The particulardevice shown may be materially varied in construction, and I do not restrict myself to any particular character of valve, but have shown a type of valve which has been found well adapted to the purpose of this invention. The general construction may be more or less varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, and 1 therefore do not restrict mvself to the minor details. l

Having now described my invention, what suitable manner, and

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus for feeding and guiding cloth to tentering and other machines, a pair of rolls between which the cloth ad jacent to its selvage is caused to pass and one of which rolls is mounted with capacity to be moved to or from the other, in combination with a fluid pressure means for automatically moving the movable roll comprising a liquid containing chamber, a dia' phragm forming a wall of said chamber and acted upon by the liquid. therein, said diaphragm arranged to operate the movable roll, a valve device for admitting compresed air or gas to the liquid containing chamber. above the liquid therein and permitting the exhaust of said air or gas therefrom, and a freely movable sensitive finger arranged to be actuated by the cloth, whereby the valve is operated for controlling the admission and exhaustion of the compressed air or gas to and from the liquid containing chamber for causing the diaphragm to be moved and whereby the movable roller is actuated.

2. In an apparatus for feeding and guiding cloth to tentering and other machines, a pair of rolls between which the cloth adjacent to its selvage is caused to pass, one of said rolls mounted in a hinged frame, combined with a chamber having a flexible diaphragm wall arranged to act upon the hinged frame, the said chamber filled with liquid above the level of the diaphragm and providing an air or gaschamber in its upper part, a source of compressed air or gas,

- and valve devices controlled by the cloth liquid is caused to operate the diaphragm and thereby actuate the hinged frame and the roll carried thereby.

3. In an apparatus for ing cloth to tentering and other machines, a pair of rolls 7 between which the cloth passes, said rolls mounted to permit reiative movement with respectto each other, combined with a liquid container having a hexible diaphragm wall arranged to impart relative movement to the rolls, said container having an upper chambered part into which the liquid extends above the ievel of the diaphragm wall and also to provide a gas or air space above the liquid,- said container, also provided with a lateraily projecting arm containing an air or gas conduit opening from said space, and a valve device arranged to be actuated by the fabric for controlling the admission and escape of compressed air or gas through the conduit feeding and guidsaid valve device having a neck portion ex- 105 the liquid containing chamber, whereby the H r the movable roll, said container having an ment with the conduit whereby said valve device is supported by the container.

4. In apparatus for feeding and guiding cloth to tentering and other machines, a pair of rolls between which the cloth passes, one of said rolls mounted for movement to and from the other, a liquid container having a flexible diaphragm wall arranged to operate upper chambered part into which the liquid extends above the level of the diaphragm wall and. also to provide a gas or air space above the liquid, said container also provided with a laterally projecting arm con taining an air or gas conduit openin from said space, a valve device for controlllng the admission and escape of compressed alr or gas through theconduit comprising a case having a neck portion extending through and clamped in position upon the arm'and providing a port in alinement with the conduit whereby said valve device is supported by the container, a movable valve piece arranged within the case. and adapted to control the )ort thereof, and means controlled by the cloth passing between the rolls for operating the said valve piece.

5. In an apparatus for feeding and guid-. ing cloth to tentering and other machines, a pair of rolls, one of which is mounted to be reciprocated to and from the other, combined with a liquid operated motor for reoiprocating the movable roller, a source of air or gas pressure, valve devices for admitting air or gas pressure to and from the liquid operated motor and above the liquid thereof, and controlling means arranged to be actuated by the cloth for operating said valve devices.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

R. M. HUNTER.

Witnesses E. W. SMITH,

FLORENCE DEAOON. 

